Vivian Jenna Wilson, the transgender daughter of billionaire Elon Musk, has spoken out for the first time about her difficult relationship with her father. Formerly known as Xavier Musk, Vivian transitioned and legally changed her name in 2022, expressing her desire to sever all connections with Musk and disassociate from his surname. In an interview with NBC News, she revealed painful details about their relationship, accusing Musk of cruelty and a lack of emotional support during her upbringing.
Musk’s Cruel Treatment and a Strained Relationship
Now 20, Vivian recalled how Musk reacted negatively to her feminine traits from an early age, often pressuring her to be more masculine. She recounted an incident during a family trip when she was in the fourth grade, where Musk harshly criticized her high-pitched voice, insisting she speak in a deeper tone. Vivian described these interactions as deeply hurtful, stating that Musk’s behavior toward her was “cold” and cruel.
Vivian painted a picture of Musk as an emotionally distant father who rarely spent time with his children, leaving most of their care to their mother or hired help. When Musk was present, she said, he was often quick to anger and failed to show genuine interest in their lives. She also strongly refuted Musk’s recent claim that he had been “tricked” into allowing her gender-affirming surgery at the age of 18. According to Vivian, Musk was fully aware and involved in the decision at the time, but has since misrepresented the situation publicly.
The two have been estranged for about four years, with Vivian stating that Musk has treated her as if she no longer exists. She also dismissed Musk’s public remarks about her, pointing out that his statements were inaccurate and emphasizing that he was not involved enough in her life to understand her experiences.
Musk’s Public Opposition to Transgender Rights
In recent years, Musk has become increasingly outspoken against transgender rights. He has criticized policies supporting the transgender community and has used X (formerly Twitter), where he has over 190 million followers, to amplify anti-transgender views. Musk recently threatened to withdraw his businesses from California in response to a law protecting the privacy of transgender students.
Vivian admitted that she had considered speaking out about her father’s anti-trans stance earlier, especially given her own identity as a transgender woman, but initially chose to remain silent. However, Musk’s direct comments about her in a recent interview forced her to finally break that silence.
Support from Her Mother
Throughout her journey, Vivian shared that her mother, Justine Wilson, has been a constant source of support. Vivian publicly came out as gay twice—once at the age of 14 and again at 16—but Musk was not present on either occasion. She expressed deep gratitude to her mother for her unwavering support during those challenging times.
Elon Musk and Justine Wilson were married from 2000 to 2008, and they share six children. Vivian’s twin brother, Nevada Alexander, tragically passed away from Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS) at just 10 weeks old.
